Transcript – The Crow’s Grimoire

[Quest of Ruin theme plays]

ANNOUNCER
Scroll and Dagger presents
Quest of Ruin
Episode One
The Crow’s Grimoire

[Theme fades to urban background noise, with sounds of stationery and dice in the foreground]

GAME MASTER
Hello! And welcome to Quest of Ruin, the brand new fantasy role playing podcast run by me! And also, these people – say hello these people!

PLAYERS
[varied greetings]

GAME MASTER
So, this is a bit of a different type of game, it’s not based on any system you might be familiar with. Uh, it’s kinda basically entirely homebrewed but it is gonna be fun, everyone looking forward to the fun? 

PLAYERS
[varied positive responses]

GAME MASTER
Wonderful, so before we start the game, let’s just go around the table and quickly introduce ourselves and our characters. Uh, I’ll start. I am the Game Master.

WILL
Okay, hello, I’m Will. I’ll be playing Laethar Monrunn, who uses he/him pronouns, and is an elven warrior. 

ROSIE
Hello, I’m Rosie and I’m playing Yaela Tangleweave. She’s a fae ranger, and she uses she/her pronouns.

GINA 
Um, hi, I’m Gina and I’ll be playing Aiolin Skullfumpa, an orc scholar. And he uses he/him pronouns.

LEAH 
Hi I’m Leah. I’ll be playing a goblin rogue by the name of Balink who uses he/they pronouns.

MATT 
And I’m Matt and I’ll be playing Vurieth Quensin, an Ashlander mage who goes by they/them.

GAME MASTER 
Uh, for the benefit of anyone who might be listening, could you give a bit of a run down of what an Ashlander is?

MATT
Yeah sure. So, Ashlanders are a half-elf people who live in the volcanic desert down in the south east of Toor. 

GAME MASTER
Ashlanders are half elves that descended from wood elves and the human tribes who lived in the desert, right? 

MATT
Yeah, that’s right.

GAME MASTER
All right, jolly good. So, with no more ado, let us begin.

[The urban ambience fades down and we hear sad, dramatic music]

GAME MASTER
More than a hundred years ago, a warlord known only as The Harbinger raised a great army of evil and began a campaign of destruction across the world of Toor. All the old nations and kingdoms; elves, dwarves, humans and their various allies, joined together to fight against The Harbinger. They failed. The old nations were swept aside by the Harbinger’s armies, leaving only dust and ruin in their wake. That is the world that you now live in. A world where culture and society are but distant memories and every day is a bitter struggle to survive. 
And, with that, we begin…

[Transition music with dice rolls plays, and sounds of a busy tavern with music fades up]

VURIETH
I do not like this.

AIOLIN 
What? You think they’re gonna attack us? I thought you said you knew one of them? 

VURIETH 
I do not mean the meeting, my friend, I mean this location. 

AIOLIN 
The tavern? Why? What’s wrong with it? 

VURIETH 
Well, I cannot say if there is anything wrong with it. My people do not hold with such places. 

AIOLIN 
What, at all? 

VURIETH 
An Ashlander inn would be difficult to maintain. We are always travelling, do you see?

AIOLIN 
I suppose. You still have drink though, right? 

VURIETH 
Not at all. The Ashen Plains are a dangerous place, we cannot afford to have our wits dulled by alcohol, even for a moment. 

AIOLIN 
Blood Above! 

VURIETH 
Is it really so shocking? 

AIOLIN 
Maybe not to some. But you try telling an orc they have to go without drink, you see what happens.

VURIETH 
I hope you’ll forgive me, my friend, but an orc is far less likely to be attacked. You can afford to let your guard down. 

AIOLIN 
In the strongholds, maybe. Places like this, though… 

[A bar fight breaks out in the background]

AIOLIN 
…there’s not much affection for my kind. 

VURIETH 
Then let us hope our new employers are quick. 

AIOLIN 
Weren’t they supposed to be here by now? 

VURIETH 
They were, I can only assume something is holding them up. 

AIOLIN 
That’s one possibility. 

VURIETH 
Aha, do not concern yourself. You do not know Yaela. There is little in this world that could bring her low. I doubt even the Harbinger himself-

AIOLIN 
Quiet yourself! Don’t go speaking that name so freely. 

VURIETH 
Ah, my apologies my friend. I did not mean to offend. 

AIOLIN 
Don’t worry about it. You’re probably right. Maybe they’re just running late. 

[The tavern sounds fade to the quiet sounds of an exterior street, conversations pass by. Footsteps approach on a stone pavement]

LAETHAR 
I want it clear that I am not happy about this. 

YAELA 
When are you ever happy about anything? 

LAETHAR 
Make jokes, if you wish, it doesn’t change the facts. 

YAELA 
You know we need a mage to get into the tower. “Any mage will do”, that’s what you said. I took that to mean you wouldn’t complain. 

LAETHAR 
“Any mage”, meaning I would be content with anyone you could find who had received… proper training. Someone from the Marble University, ideally, but failing that-

YAELA 
(flatly) The Marble University? That place was flooded by Lake Harkon fifty years ago and is now overrun with who-knows-what? Have you lost your brain? 

LAETHAR 
(muttering darkly) They didn’t all get taken. (at a normal volume) And my point was that I expected a true mage, one of the elder blood.

YAELA 
They are of elder blood. 

LAETHAR 
They are a bloody half-breed. 

YAELA 
Say that again, and I’ll slap you. (Laethar huffs) Look, true elven mages are thin on the ground lately.. We need a mage, they’re the best we have. And it’s just for one job. 

LAETHAR 
Fine, fine, fine. 

YAELA 
Where is Balink, anyway? He was supposed to be here by now, we’re late. 

LAETHAR 
I believe he said he had to acquire some fresh materials. 

YAELA 
(laughing) Really? Binks said “acquire fresh materials”? 

LAETHAR 
Hm, I might be paraphrasing. Ah, here he is!

[Balink runs up to the pair, panting]

BALINK 
(Breathless) Found- Found… New… Should make- Big boom! BIIIG boom! 

YAELA
You can tell us about it later. Let’s just, head in. 

[The tavern door creaks, the tavern music returns louder, then quietens again]

YAELA 
Vurieth! It’s so good to see you again. 

VURIETH 
The pleasure is all mine, Yaela.

LAETHAR 
Laethar Monrunn, pleased to meet you. 

AIOLIN 
Oh, err, Aiolin Skullfumpa. Likewise. 

VURIETH 
And I am Vur-

LAETHAR 
I’ve not met many Aiolins among your people. 

AIOLIN 
Changed my name when I joined the college. 

LAETHAR 
Ahh, after the great Aiolin Sonrai, I trust? 

AIOLIN 
Yeah. He was my teacher.

LAETHAR 
You actually studied under Sonrai? Extraordinary. Well, I should say you’ll be a great help. It’s an interesting place we’re going. 

VURIETH 
And just where is it that we are going? 

YAELA 
I told you in my letter, didn’t I? 

VURIETH 
Ah yes, something about ‘the Crow’s Grimoire’? Uh, but you didn’t say what that was, or where. 

LAETHAR 
I was under the impression you were a mage? 

VURIETH
(flustered) Well, I am a m-

LAETHAR 
What we’re after is a book of magic, a collection of spells and rituals, basically everything the wizard who created it knew or learned in their lifetime.

VURIETH
(muttering) I know what a grimoire is.

LAETHAR 
And Reynard said that this one is particularly valuable. 

AIOLIN 
Why? 

YAELA 
Apparently the mage who created it was one of the last great necromancers before the rise of the Harbinger. It might well be the only collection of necromancy that still exists. Reynard thinks someone will pay well for something like that. 

AIOLIN 
Seems simple. Why do you need us?

LAETHAR 
Well, the trouble is that the grimoire is still in the old necromancer’s tower. 

AIOLIN 
Ah, which I’m guessin’ is sealed? 

BALINK 
Why can’t I just blow the seal off? 

LAETHAR 
Magically sealed, Balink, magically sealed. Which is why… (sigh) we need a mage 

YAELA 
Exactly. Vurieth will be able to break the seal on the tower, so we can get in. 

LAETHAR 
So you say. 

VURIETH 
But surely there will be other safety measures, not just a seal. 

LAETHAR 
Look, you just let us handle that. Your job is just to let us in. And yours, Master Aiolin, is to guide us to the Grimoire.

AIOLIN 
Eh? But I’ve never been in this tower, how am I supposed to know where he’s keeping this book? 

YAELA 
Most wizards keep their most precious belongings in their sanctuaries, the highest room of the tower. Unfortunately, getting up there is not as simple as just climbing some stairs. Sometimes the climbing takes you to the basement or-

BALINK 
Or you might open a door to go to the kitchen and end up outside. 

YAELA 
Exactly. But you’ve studied arcane architecture, right? So you should be able to guide us along the correct path 

AIOLIN 
Well, I suppose… I mean, I’ve only studied the theory. The only mage towers I ever saw were the shadow towers back in Khran-dur, and they were… well… they were closed to me. But I think I remember… 

[Papers rustle and a quill scratches as Aiolin jots some notes]

AIOLIN (ctd)
Up then back. Second door, count, uh… carry the two… ten steps…then into the inbetween space… Yeah, I think I can do it. 

YAELA
Brilliant. 

LAETHAR 
Well, at least you seem to know what you’re doing 

YAELA 
(hushed whisper) Laethar! 

BALINK 
So…. Do we got time for a drink before-

YAELA & LAETHAR
No!

BALINK 
Ohh fine. Fine fine… just a little? 

LAETHAR 
No! 

BALINK
Ohh! 

YAELA 
(soothingly) We may need your help, Binks, and you don’t want to risk not being able to use your new explosives, do you? 

BALINK 
Oooh, no… No, I don’t want that. 

YAELA 
Well alright then. 

LAETHAR 
Can we get a move on? If we leave now, we can get there before it gets too dark. 

YAELA 
Alright, alright. Come on then. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we-

LAETHAR
Can go our separate ways.

[The tavern music fades away, the sounds of birds at twilight fade up. In the background, Vurieth is muttering and there is magical fizzling]

LAETHAR 
Well?! Can you get us in or not? 

YAELA 
Will you just give them a moment? 

LAETHAR 
They have had a moment, and a lot of other moments after that one! And yet the seal remains very much intact. 

BALINK 
Can’t I just blast our way in? Can’t I?

AIOLIN 
It wouldn’t work. The seal is designed to keep out anything except a mage. A dragon could probably pound away at that and it wouldn’t budge. 

BALINK 
Aww… 

LAETHAR 
I am just about ready to try it, regardless. Honestly, I’d heard Ashlander magic was unreliable but I thought your friend had at least a grasp of the basics, this is just getting pathetic. 

[A pulse of magic, a thud]

VURIETH
Yes! 

YAELA
(amused) You were saying? 

LAETHAR 
Yes, alright, let’s get inside shall we? 

AIOLIN 
Is it safe to go in? 

VURIETH 
I… think so. 

LAETHAR 
You think so?

VURIETH 
Well, I mean, the seal is down and-

LAETHAR 
You are not getting paid to do half a job, you know. Can you even detect magical auras? 

[Balink approaches the tower, stepping over rubble]

BALINK 
(in the background, echoing) Oooh it’s dark in there! 

LAETHAR 
Get back here! We do not know yet if it is-

BALINK 
There’s a long tunnel!

YAELA
Binks, be careful!

VURIETH 
I cannot detect any more magic here. Truly, it should be completely safe. 

LAETHAR 
Oh, well, I feel very reassured.

 VURIETH 
I-

YAELA 
Enough! Look, Binks is in, let’s just go. 

LAETHAR
Move.

[Laethar pushes past Vurieth, who lets out a huff]

LAETHAR 
Right. Master Aiolin, which way are we going? 

AIOLIN 
(growing softer as he walks away) Oh, well, as long as the layout is the same, then… That way. 

BALINK 
(Muffled from further inside) Yippee! Let’s go! 

YAELA 
(Quietly) Vurieth, look, I’m sorry about Laethar. He can be-

VURIETH 
It is quite alright. I am more than accustomed to it. 

YAELA 
(Sighs) In that case, I am even more sorry. 

VURIETH 
Oh, do not be. There are worse evils in this world than a harsh word or two. 

YAELA 
That’s not the point. 

VURIETH 
Hm. Would you like to go next, or shall I?

YAELA
I will go. 

[They step over the rubble. The sounds of twilight fade. Inside, the footsteps of the group walking on stone fade up. A torch is lit, and the fire crackles in the background.]

AIOLIN 
So if we continue on, around the next corner there should be the first staircase. 

YAELA 
What was that? 

BALINK 
What was what? 

LAETHAR 
Shh, quiet! 

[A soft groaning begins, and gets steadily louder, the group slow to a stop.]

VURIETH 
What is that? 

LAETHAR 
I said quiet! 

YAELA 
It’s coming closer. 

BALINK 
Hide? 

YAELA 
Where? There are no doors, just this corridor!

BALINK 
Run.

LAETHAR 
I will not run!

[Laethar draws his sword. The moaning draws nearer. The group moves backwards. There is a sudden loud splintering of magic and a crunch of stone.] 

VURIETH
No! 

 LAETHAR 
I knew it! What did you do? 

VURIETH 
I-I-I did nothing, something else is-

[The groaning has stopped, instead, an eerie whispering begins, dramatic music playing in the background.]

LAETHAR 
Spare us your excuses! 

AIOLIN 
Mother?! 

YAELA 
Aiolin? 

AIOLIN 
Mother? What.. what happened to you? 

LAETHAR
I don’t see anything.

BALINK 
I think the orc’s lost it. 

[Aiolin moves slowly away from the group]

AIOLIN 
I thought you were dead. 

VURIETH 
Sands preserve us. 

AIOLIN 
I am so sorry, mother. 

[Aiolin drops the torch.]

YAELA 
Aiolin! Your mother isn’t-

LAETHAR 
Alaric! 

BALINK 
I don’t like this 

LAETHAR 
You scum! 

[Laethar begins running up the corridor.]

YAELA
Laethar! He’s not-

LAETHAR 
That traitor is mine! 

YAELA 
… Here.

[Laethar continues up the corridor, his voice fading from earshot.]

LAETHAR
Get back here! I shall slay you where you stand! You traitor! 

YAELA 
Aiolin, you-

AIOLIN 
You will not take her from me! 

[The groaning begins again, aggressively now, and Aiolin lets out a yell. He and Yaela begin to grapple.] 

YAELA 
Stop… Listen! Aiolin, please! Y-your mother isn’t here! 

AIOLIN 
Liar! 

YAELA 
There is nobody here but us! 

AIOLIN 
Get away! 

[Aiolin lunges at Yaela who grunts as she hits the floor] 

BALINK 
Uuuhhh, How do I help? How do we help? I got enough ‘splosives to take out the thing but it’ll get all of them as well! 

VURIETH 
I could try… Balink, can you get the torch? 

BALINK 
Uhhh… uhh, yes. Yes! Sure. 

[Balink scampers away to find the dropped torch. Yaela and Aiolin are still locked in a grapple. Vurieth begins to frantically mutter.]

VURIETH 
Bolt of light… Bolt of light… 

[Balink returns, panting heavily]

BALINK
Here… here…

VURIETH 
Thank you. Could you hold it ahead of me. Uh, y-yes, like so. Yes. Thank you. Alright… 

[Vurieth begins muttering an incantation. The strange whispers on the wind grow louder until it becomes a scream]

VURIETH
Ascendia luge… Muluxio! 

[Balink and Yaela scream while the strange ghostly sound fades away on the wind to be replaced with silence.]

BALINK 
Is it… dead? 

VURIETH 
I believe it already was. Yaela? Are you alright? 

YAELA 
Yes. 

VURIETH 
Aiolin? 

[Aiolin groans from where he lies on the floor.]

YAELA 
Come on, up you get.

[Yaela helps Aiolin to his feet]

AIOLIN 
My… My mother. 

YAELA 
I know. 

VURIETH 
Are you with us?

AIOLIN 
Yeah… Yeah. What was it? 

BALINK 
I didn’t see anything. Just loads o’ screaming 

AIOLIN 
I think… uh, I think…?

YAELA 
We can’t stay here, we need to push on. Where’s Laethar? 

VURIETH 
He ran off down the corridor. Sounded like he was chasing someone, but I could see nothing. 

[The sound of running footsteps echo up the corridor, coming closer.] 

BALINK 
Something else coming!

YAELA 
Laethar? 

LAETHAR 
Where is he? Where are you hiding him? 

VURIETH 
There is no one else here, my friend… 

LAETHAR 
You are no friend of mine! You’re hiding him, aren’t you? Any who defend that traitor will die at my hand!

AIOLIN 
Wait… He’s possessed! 

YAELA 
What? 

AIOLIN 
Look at his eyes! 

[Yaela and Balink make sounds of disbelief.]

VURIETH 
Quick! Hold him! 

LAETHAR
Get away from me, get away! No!

[The other four rush at Laethar, they scuffle but hold him down. Vurieth begins muttering a spell.]

LAETHAR
Get your hands off me! 

[Vurieth continues the spell over Laethar’s protests. They finish the spell, Laethar yells out, and a long howl fades away on the wind.]

AIOLIN 
I was right. 

YAELA 
You know what that was? 

AIOLIN 
Yeah, a Haunting. Haven’t seen one of those in a long time. 

YAELA 
That’s impossible. Hauntings only live in prisons or old battlefields. What would one be doing in a wizard tower? 

AIOLIN 
The touch of death is strong on this place. Just how powerful was the necromancer who used to live here? 

YAELA 
Powerful enough that I’d like to be out of here as quickly as possible. 

BALINK 
How are we gonna do that with the door gone? 

YAELA 
Vurieth, can’t you just reopen it? 

VURIETH 
No, I’m afraid not. You see, any mage can open a seal from the outside but only the mage who created it can open it from the inside. See, that is why I was trying to keep it open but something severed my connection. 

AIOLIN 
And there’s no guarantee it would lead back to the entrance anyway. 

YAELA 
So we will have to find another way out.

AIOLIN 
I’m not sure if there will be one. 

VURIETH 
Then we shall make one, yes? 

BALINK 
Yes! 

YAELA 
For now, let’s focus on what we’re here for. 

AIOLIN 
Yeah, let’s get this done. 

VURIETH 
You said, up the stairs? Ah look, there they are, up ahead. 

BALINK 
I’ll go first! 

YAELA 
Carefully, Binks. 

[Balink scampers ahead, followed by Yaela, Aiolin and Vurieth, leaving Laethar behind. He is breathing heavily.]

LAETHAR
(a whisper) Alaric… 

[The fire fades away to silence. Fading up are the party’s footsteps as they climb up the stone stairs, then open the door at the top.]

AIOLIN 
There it is! 

YAELA 
Excellent! 

LAETHAR 
Nice work. 

[The door closes.]

BALINK 
Right, let’s grab it and go! 

YAELA
Binks, wait! 

[Balink lifts the book from its plinth, and a loud click sounds] 

BALINK 
Oops.

[The stone slides down. Arcane winds begin to blow around the party and unnatural groans can be heard approaching.]

AIOLIN 
What’s happening? 

VURIETH 
An entrapment! 

YAELA 
Can you stop it? 

VURIETH 
Perhaps, but I’ll need to concentrate. 

LAETHAR 
Well, I suggest you concentrate quickly! 

[The groans are closer.] 

AIOLIN 
Oh Blood! 

BALINK 
What are they? 

LAETHAR 
Walking corpses, what else do they look like?

[Laethar draws his sword.]

LAETHAR
Prepare yourselves! 

[The party charge into combat with the undead creatures, while Vurieth continues muttering an incantation. Yaela uses her bow, Aiolin his fists, Laethar his sword, and Balink his grenades.The spell works and the winds die down, allowing the party to dispatch the last of the undead.]

LAETHAR 
(panting) Was that… the last of them? 

YAELA
I think so …

AIOLIN 
Nice work, Vurieth. 

VURIETH 
Ah, a simple counter trap spell, nothing too-

LAETHAR 

If we’re all done patting each other on the back, we need to figure out a way out of here. The grimoire isn’t much use to us if we can’t get it back to Reynard. 

YAELA 
Laethar! You’re injured! 

LAETHAR 
Oh don’t fuss, it’s just a scratch. 

VURIETH 
I can heal you, if you wish. 

LAETHAR 
It’s just a scratch! If you want to be useful then figure out a way out of here. 

BALINK 
Ahem! I thought we’d already decided on that. 

YAELA 
Well, I suppose I did promise… 

BALINK 
Yesyesyesyesyes! 

LAETHAR 
Alright. Aiolin, where would the best place be to set an explosion? 

AIOLIN 
Oh, I’d imagine over by the window over there. There’s no load bearing walls near it so… 

LAETHAR 
Sounds perfect. Go with Balink, would you? Show him the right spot. Ashlander, you go too. 

[Aiolin, Balink and Vurieth move away to begin setting the charges.]

YAELA 
They’ve definitely proved their worth, those two. 

LAETHAR 
Yaela, I do not like that expression. 

YAELA 
We could do with some extra people.

LAETHAR 
You cannot be serious. 

YAELA 
I think they’d be a lot of help to us. 

LAETHAR 
I will admit that the orc has a good head on his shoulders, and to have been a student of Master Sonrai? Well! … But the Ashlander-

YAELA 
Countered a trap that probably would have killed us. 

LAETHAR 
You don’t know that. 

YAELA 
You’re being ridiculous!

LAETHAR 
I’m not carrying on this conversation. The plan remains the same. We get the grimoire to Reynard, get paid and give them their share. And then we go our separate ways. We can move on, and they can… carry on doing whatever they were doing. 

[Before Yaela can respond, there is an explosion followed by the sound of falling rubble]

BALINK
I did it! 

[Yaela and Laethar run to join the other three at the newly created hole in the wall.]

LAETHAR 
Ah. Marvellous. Now how do we get down? 

YAELA 
We have some rope, perhaps we could abseil down? 

LAETHAR 
I am not sure that we have enough to reach the bottom. 

VURIETH 
I could, perhaps, lengthen it? 

AIOLIN 
Is that possible?

VURIETH 
Yes, of course. It is a simple transmogrification. 

YAELA 
Well I have no objections. Laethar? 

[Laethar sniffs but says nothing]

YAELA 
Wonderful. Alright, Vurieth, go ahead.

[Transition music with dice rolls plays, and urban ambience fades up.]

GAME MASTER 
And I think we’ll leave it there for today, guys. You abseil down the tower and return to town and that’s where we shall pick up next time. 

[The players give various reactions.]

GAME MASTER 
Okay, well thanks for listening everyone, I hope y-

ROSIE 
Wait, hang on. Will, what happened to your face? 

[Tense music starts.]

WILL 
W-what do you mean? 

MATT 
Oh yeah, you’re bleeding 

[Everyone else around the table make sounds of concern.]

WILL 
Where? 

GAME MASTER 
Right there, on your cheek. 

GINA 
Here, I’ve got a tissue, let’s get you cleaned up.

WILL 
Thanks. That’s really weird, I didn’t even notice. 

GAME MASTER 
You alright?

WILL 
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I-I’m fine, it’s not deep or anything. 

[The tense music fades away.]

GAME MASTER 
Okay, if you’re sure. Anyway, thanks for listening everyone. Join us next episode for the next chapter of the story. Until then, goodbye. 

[Everyone says goodbye, the end theme plays and the Announcer recites the credits.]